The University of Maine at Farmington is pleased to announce the second Nature Based Education Summer Institute. On Friday June 23, 2017 we will host pre-conference workshops, and on Saturday June 24, 2017 we look forward to a full day of conference sessions. Please share this Save the Date with any educators who you believe might be interested in participating!
Visit our website for more information.
Important Dates:
Late October – Call for Session Proposals will open
December 1, 2016 – Call for Session Proposals will close
December 20, 2016 – Presenters will be notified about their proposals
February 1, 2017 – Registration will be open (Attendance is limited to 125 people)
A Semester Abroad: Special Education in Ireland
Lindsay Gorman is a junior at the University of Maine at Farmington studying Special Education and International and Global Studies. Lindsay is spending her Fall 2016 semester at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland. Lindsay was able to answer some questions about her experience in Ireland, how it has differed so far from her experience at UMF, and what else she is looking forward to this semester.
How has your experience at UCC differed from your experience at UMF?
-The class structure is much different than I’m used to. At UMF, the professors really encourage group discussion and collaboration. At UCC, and most European Universities, all of the classes are strictly lectures, even the education class I’m taking. The classes are much larger too, all of them have at least 100 people in it! Also, the work load is much different. For most classes, you are expected to show up to class and take notes to prepare for your final exam at the end of the semester, and that’s it. Your exam really determines your final grade.
What made you choose Ireland?
-I’ve always wanted to visit Ireland! With my last name being Gorman and my family being traced back to being from there, it’s been on my Bucket List for a while. I already knew a lot about Senator George Mitchell since I’m a Mitchell Scholar from my high school, and when I learned about the George Mitchell Peace Scholarship, I started to look more into the Senator’s work in Northern Ireland. I was really inspired with what he was able to do to create peace during the conflicts in Northern Ireland, and I wanted to learn more. And what better place to do it than Ireland itself!
What are you hoping to gain from this experience?
-With my major in Special Education and my minor in International and Global Studies, I’m really interested in learning about how other countries look at people with disabilities, such as their laws to protect them, how society perceives them, etc. I was able to learn a little bit about Tanzania’s perception of disability when I went there this past June on a travel course, but I didn’t get as much research done as I would have liked. I’m hoping that since I’m here for a whole semester, I’ll be able to really get an idea of what life is like for someone with a disability in Ireland, particularly what their education is like. I think that being culturally aware will make me a better teacher!
What differences have you found in the way special education is perceived in Ireland versus in the U.S.? Similarities?
-With the United States and Ireland both being developed nations, I’ve found a lot of similarities so far. Both seem to have had a difficult history of their treatment of people with disabilities, but both have seemed to make great progress since then. I actually learned that the reason American Sign Language and Irish Sign Language are so similar is because when Sign started to become really popular for th
e Deaf, both Americans and Irish went to the same country to learn it, which was France. I found that really neat! That being said, there are a few differences I’ve also found. First, there seems to be a lot more non profit organizations supporting people with disabilities in Ireland. For example, one of my first days going into the city, there were some people asking for donations for Ataxia Ireland. Also, in many government run buildings, there are statues of dogs with coin slots in them, and the money goes towards Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind. I’m sure there are also organizations that support people with disabilities in the States, but it just seems to be more apparent over here. Lastly, in the field of Special Education, we use person first language, meaning we put the person before their disability when speaking about them, such as “a person with a disability” rather than “a disabled person.” That doesn’t really seem to be the case in Ireland.
What have you learned so far that has been surprising to you?
-When my professor first used the term “disabled,” it definitely surprised me, since all of the Special Education professors at UMF use person first language. Also, I was looking for local schools I might be able to volunteer at by looking at their websites. I was specifically looking to see if there was any information about their Special Education department, and was surprised to see that very few of the websites had information about it. That is something I am definitely going to look into more while I’m over here.
What has been your favorite experience so far?
-This is a very touristy answer, but a few weekends ago I went on a trip to the Ring of Kerry, and I got to see a double rainbow. It’s definitely my favorite memory so far!
Alumni Connection: PBE with RSU4’s Laurie Catanese
On Wednesday October 12th, Johanna Prince, Director of Graduate Programs got to see alumna Laurie (Rodrigue) Catanese (MSEd in Educational Leadership 2015) in her new role as Assistant Principal of Oak Hill High School in RSU 4. Laurie began her morning working with a teacher who was creating a new unit plan as part of the district’s work in Proficiency Based Education.
After a tour of the building, Laurie was able to share her energy and excitement for supporting staff and her passion for bringing engaging, relevant, hands-on learning to students. Laurie shared that her capstone research on the value of mentoring has helped her feel prepared for supporting the teachers she works with and aligning that support to district goals.
Keep up the great work, Laurie!
Teach in Alaska Seminar
Ever considered moving to Alaska? Here’s your chance to learn more! A repersentative from the Lower Kuskokwim School District in Bethel, Alaska will be at the University of Maine at Farmington on Oct. 17 to talk about moving, living, and working in Alaska!
Visiting Author: Chris Van Dusen
On September 27th students and community members gathered in Lincoln Auditorium to meet visiting author/illustrator Chris Van Dusen. Chris is a children’s book author and illustrator known for his works Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee, A Camping Spree with Mr. Magee, If I Built a Car, and many more! The event was hosted by UMF’S Association for the Education of Young Children (AEYC).
During the visit, Chris covered a lot of his work, starting with the books he illustrated for in the past, including Kate DiCamillo’s Mercy Watson stories. He then transitioned into discussing If I Built a Car, written and illustrated by Chr
is himself. He went through the planning process of the book, changes his editor wanted to make, and how he moved forward with those changes.
This event was open to UMF students and faculty, as well as members in the community. The audience included professors, faculty, UMF students, parents, and children of many ages. Chris took the time to answer questions and sign autographs for his fans.
When asked if there will be any other visits of this nature in the future, UMF’S AEYC President Ranae Carlson seemed hopeful. “We definitely hope to
have future author events, but for right now, nothing is set in stone,” she said. “We try to make our events applicable to people other than education students but I think anyone can benefit from hearing what authors, specifically those in Maine, have to say! It’s like having a celebrity on campus!”
The UMF Teacher Education program would like to thank Chris Van Dusen, the AEYC, and those who attended for making this such an enjoyable event for all!
Playgroup Opportunities
Opportunity #1:
Attention parents/caregivers of infants & toddlers: Come play with your young children as you observe and support their amazing development!
We are now registering families for a UMF Monday evening playgroup starting mid-September. This playgroup is for children under three years of age and is based on a model called PIWI (Parents Interacting with Infants).
The playgroup’s focus is parents’ observations of and interactions with their young children. The weekly sessions are facilitated by Dolores Appl, a UMF professor and her students, who are preparing to be teachers of young children. Each week the students plan meaningful learning activities based on the interests of the parents and children attending. The groups are free and enrollment is open to all families of infants and toddlers. However, registration is required.
If you would like to register or want more information, please contact Dolores at 778-7507 or dappl@maine.edu.
Opportunity #2:
The Department of Early Childhood Education offers 3 morning playgroups for families with young children. Playgroups run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9-11am at our site at 112 Maguire Street. Caregivers/families sign-up to attend one of the three sessions each week (either T, W, or TH). Groups are mixed age, with children ranging in age from birth to 3 years old. A variety of different types of caregivers attend the program with children including dads, moms, grandparents,and child care providers.
Professor Patty Williams’ ECH 250 students help to facilitate the groups. They offer a variety of play-based developmental learning opportunities for children and their caregivers to explore. It is also a great way for parents in the community to meet, socialize, and connect. We also offer a circle time and snack. There is a $10 once yearly registration fee for the program, with scholarships available for those who may find the fee a barrier to attending the program.
If you or someone you know might benefit from this program, please contact Patty at patricia.h.williams@maine.edu. She is registering families for the program right now. In particular, they have several openings in the Thursday playgroup that they are looking to fill.
Praxis Core Review Sessions
Welcome to our Newest Education Faculty & Staff!
Meet our newest Education Faculty & Staff!
Dr. Leigh Ann Fish is coming to UMF from Troy, Ohio where she worked in public education as an elementary teacher and coordinator of gifted and talented education.
After earning her Ph.D. from Miami University in 2015, Leigh Ann decided to pursue her passion for working with the next generation of teachers… and was thrilled to find the talented and welcoming UMF community!
When not on campus, Leigh Ann enjoys spending time outdoors with
her husband and two young daughters hiking/kayaking, exploring historical sites, and trying her hand at modern-day “homesteading” on their 18th century farm.
She will be teaching ECH 150 (Intro to Early Childhood Ed) and ECH 232 (Social Science for Young Children) this fall.
Dr. Kathryn Will-Dubyak
In her own words: “Although I am a Florida native, I arrived at UMF from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana where I was a part of the community for 23 years. I am thrilled to be here.
Teaching literacy courses to pre-service teachers is the job I have been dreaming of for quite sometime. Being able to do it in a community like Farmington is beyond my wildest dreams. My husband, Travis, and I are looking forward to getting involved in the community.
Throughout my life I have had many opportunities to work with children of varying ages. I taught in a four room school house in Big Sky, Montana where we often had to alter our recess schedules due to elk herds on the playground, and went skiing every Friday for our physical education program.
During the time in my life when I was a farmer, I established and developed science camps for preschool-aged children as well as fami
ly-to-farm summer camps where entire families learned about the origins of their food and food preparation. I also have two children who are now 18 and 20 years old. When they were younger we spent hours (and hours) every day reading.
When I am not thinking about literacy and preparing teachers for their future classrooms, I really enjoy growing and preparing food, hiking, knitting or crafting in some form, and learning new things (a.k.a. reading, reading, reading).”
Julia Jeremias is the new Early Childhood Education Off-Campus Bachelor’s Degree Program Advisor and Coordinator. Julia comes to UMF from southern Maine where she is adjunct faculty in the early childhood department at Southern Maine Community College.
After graduating from Mount Holyoke College and Lesley University, Julia started her life in education as a toddler teacher and continued in various rolls from teacher to public school administrator, until her family was transferred to Maine.
When not working, Julia enjoys hiking with her partner and son, traveling, quilting, and baking.
Student Spotlight: Secondary Social Studies Major Bradford Lopes
We recently had an opportunity to talk with Secondary Social Studies Major, Bradford Lopes, about his experience as a transfer student at UMF. Thank you, Bradford, for taking the time to share your experiences, reflections and perspectives!
Could you tell us a bit about yourself? So my name is Bradford Lopes, and I transferred to UMF prior to the spring semester of 2014. I came here as a Secondary Education major with a concentration Continue reading
Social Justice Through Dentistry: Senior Larissa Hannan Reflects on Internship at Community Dental
Guest Author: Larissa Hannan, UMF Senior, Community Health Education
This summer, I was fortunate enough to intern under Community Dental of Farmington. I am a current senior Community Health student, and when you think of community health, public health, or just health in Continue reading